The Rumour Mill - Monday’s football news and gossip

A brief overview of the top stories making the back pages of this mornings newspapers...

Goodbye Colin... and Rod?

Hearts may have been making the headlines for all the wrong reasons in the past week but there has been little reason for supporters of arch-rivals Hibernian to be cheerful either.

While defeat to Dunfermline at the weekend was enough to bring about the end of Colin Calderwood’s managerial reign at Easter Road the rolling of heads may not end there with the news that the Hibernian faithful also want to see chairman Rod Petrie exit the club.

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Petrie, who has overseen the appointment of eight managers in the past decade, is due to face angry shareholders at the club’s AGM tomorrow.

Shamrock Rovers manager and former Hibernian frontman Michael O’ Neill has been installed as the bookies’ favourite to take over from Calderwood at Easter Road, with fellow League of Ireland bosses Paul Cook of Sligo Rovers and Pat Fenlon of Bohemians also in the mix. (DAILY EXPRESS)

Hearts for sale

Just a few days after admitting he may not be willing to invest any more money more in the club, Hearts’ controversial owner Valdimir Romanov last night said he was considering selling the Tynecastle club.

The Lithuanian is reported to be more interested in basketball than football and owns the basketball team Zalgiris Kaunas in his homeland. He said: “I now have another outlet where I can fulfil my ambitions in sport.”

Should he be unsuccessful in his attempts to sell the club, Romanov has not ruled out possibility of bringing in a partner to buy some of his majority holding in the club.

In a statement published on the club’s website yesterday, the Hearts owner said he would continue to stand by the club and support it “to the extent it remains reasonable.” (SCOTSMAN)

Zenden hoping to land Celtic deal

Former Barcelona winger and Dutch international Bolo Zenden is hoping to secure himself a contract at Celtic Park.

The 35-year-old, who is now a free agent, has been training with the Old Firm side in Lennoxtown with a view to landing a deal. Coach Alan Thompson said : “Bolo trained with us yesterday. He wants to come here so we will see what we can do.”

Celtic are also reported to be keeping tabs on Swedish defender Mikael Lustig who will be available on a free transfer in January.